


Airborn Ranger Infantry

by Lady_Tony_Stark



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, James feels, Kids, lots of feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-28
Updated: 2015-04-28
Packaged: 2018-03-26 05:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3839617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Tony_Stark/pseuds/Lady_Tony_Stark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the song 'Airborn Ranger Infantry', written a little from James and Natasha's daughters POV, and james himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Airborn Ranger Infantry

_My daddy was a soldier in a foreign war  
But he doesn't like to talk about it any more_

Ariana Barnes smiled softly as she saw her father, pausing in the middle of the game, for a moment, so distracted by her father’s appearance that she didn’t see her brother run into her. 

“Steven!”

“I win!I win!The war is mine!”

And only Ariana as she watched James Buchanan Barnes, a man of more wars then most would survive, flinched a little. Even if she was curious, she knew better then to question her parents, especially the dark haired super soldier, about what had come before.

_He kept a picture of my mama right by his heart_  
He'd give it one last look before the fighting would start  
He said all I ask is that you don't forget  
Cause the wars not over when the fighting ends

James smiled as he knelt at the edge of his son’s bed, gently stroking back dark hair, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. Startling a little as the boy stirred. Watching him for a long moment, he sighed quietly. Despite knowing it had been a game, it was hard on him to consider this children going to war, to go through everything him and Natasha had gone through to get to this point. 

Where somedays, the edges of memory were sharp enough to cut.

_There's a part of me that will always be_  
Just a boy in a hole with an M-16  
Airborne ranger infantry 

**_James’ breathing slowed, his whole focus on the target in front of him. Even the slight trembling of his hands stilled as he focused on what was doing. Finding Steve in the scope he raised it a little, finding the next target, the one threatening Steve. Knew that he was the one that cut down causalities, kept some of the commandos from going home in body bags._ **

Another day. Another time. Another mission. Watching the bullets biting into the bus on the road below, the Soldier frowned slightly behind his mask, ignoring the dull twinge of....something as he considered the blond. Shaking his head as he jumped, a deadly stalk as he went to complete his mission. 

 

_I left my best friend lying in a pool of blood_  
While I crawled away through the brush and mud  
If I could choose to go back again  
I'd die lying there next to him  
I still see his face when I close my eyes  
As I won't forget his sacrifice 

“James?”

James stirred at the sound of his name, offering a strained sad smile as he considered his wife. Leaning into her hand as she reached out, running her fingers through inky black hair. “Hm?”

“You okay?”Natasha muttered watching him, knowing how much it had broken the man to have not been there when Steve died. Having been following the Captain’s orders, having gone to save another part of the world. Had missed his best friend taking his last breath.

“How can I be okay?”

“You can’t be okay.”She sighed softly moving to sit across from him, staring at the man, reaching out, resting her hands over his, over the letter with Steve’s neat and immaculate writing. “So. What are you going to do?”

“Honor him.”

_I didn't do it for the money didn't do it for fame_  
I didn't do it so the world would remember my name  
I did it for my family and my country,  
And my brothers who died right next to me. 

“Cap!Captain!”

Even now, nearly a year after he’d accepted the mantle, the title sounded odd when it referred to him. Awkward and clumsily, To heavy a weight for his shoulders to carry. But he did it, not for them. Not even for himself. But because Steve thought he would be good at it. At doing the right thing.

And he really would hate to consider steve disappointed in him. 

_Haunted souls and memories_

James smiled as he watched his children play, and even if the bright summer day held a shadow of ice and winter, the summer light thawed him, made even playing war with the 7 and 10 year old possible as he jogged across the yard towards them,


End file.
